Scratch scratch

ARGGGGG

Third year in a row! After working on my flower garden in front of my house I get this rash that is painful. It feels like a tiny little prickers in my bumps.. Then it burns when I inch it.... Last year I got it so bad I went to the doctor got some stuff that kicked my butt, so bad he wrote me off for 2 days.... Well it doesn't help I am allergic to everything also. He was a afraid of a strong reaction to the prescription so he gave me a couple days off to get use to the drowsy affects. I had a rash on both arms and legs.  So much for weeding the flower bed in shorts and a tank top......

This year I wore a long sleeve shirt when I worked on the flower garden.  I was out in the earlier morning..... it was a cool day that the wind was blowing so I could work on the weeds........

The weird thing is this rash doesn't show up until a couple days later.  So I freaked when I saw this rash on MY FACE!  Yes right where one would wipe their brow.... so to speak, is a small line cut looking rash bump... my yearly rash..... and a couple little bumps down the side of my face.......... I would find myself inching these bumps at work... great I am going to explode in a huge rash on my face.... but nope I got it on my arms again.  Third year in a row.....

So searching what to do for a rash: oh remember I am allergic to everything, well I will bleed if I use hydrocortisone cream, it dries my skin out too much and yea it is very painful.... looks like road rash!!!  I find out that yes it is something in my flower garden that is causing this, concerning I have allergies that are like hay-fever, I can't use anything with chamomile cause my eyes will puff up like I cried all night, and hurt more than if I did..... It may have been ragweed! That people who have allergies to the pollen can have allergies to the oils from the leaves.  Me I have extra sensitive skin so why not have extra sensitive skin to an allergen.

Sign....

So some cures are a oatmeal bath.  Yea that ok but then I don't have the time for the bath water... that and my water bill would go up more than it should.... but I do use oatmeal soap to wash with....  Some people swear by half a cup of baking soda and cornstarch also but I do the oatmeal bath.  Baking soda can be rough on sensitive skin.  Oatmeal is the bath recommended for the chicken pox for kids.

Honey. Yea putting honey on the area helps it heal.   Ok so it very sticky. VERY sticky.... for both arms.  I have used it on my face many times, it makes your face so soft.... But you leave it on for 15-30 minute then wash off. I put some on right before I got in the shower.  But I did go to bed after....

Aloe vera, is another cooling treatment.  I have a bottle of after sun 100% aloe vera product that feels nice when I use it, it also has some benzocaine to cool the burning (pun intended, rashes can burn too!! LOL)

So next thing to try was milk. Yep milk on the rash reduces the redness and swelling.  Plus it is suppose to heal faster. 

Poison!!

Argggg!!
I had long sleeved shirt on. I washed minute after weeding; not once, but 4 times with Fels-Naptha soap and pour some alcohol over my arms.   I still got the rash of h#ll! I have gotten this rash 3 years straight.... It's painfull with a burning feeling all over my inner arms....

Ok so maybe I should have done this years ago but this year I got some herbicide spray to help kill it???

 I did cut that plant from near the roots before gathering the cut plant into bags..... waiting 5 days till the leaves are wilting and dying.....

Wearing gardening gloves and wearing long sleeves and I still get the rash.... so I got the spray and it still lives.... OMG. It won't go away.....

You know I know what poison ivy looks like... I camp you know.... OMG I thought I knew what poison oak looked like.... I think that is what I might be fighting with.....

But I found out that cutting doesn't stop the oil (urushiol), it will stay even after the plant is dying, and it is in all parts of the d@mn plant..... the leaves, the stems, the hairy crap the plant uses on my house to cling to it and the even roots.... Which I found out is the best way to remove the plant, by diggin up the roots.... the rash takes a couple more days for me which could be because I am getting older but then it can take up to 15 days for some people. but then waking up with half my arm blistered looking feeling like someone poured hot water over it was how I found my rash.....

I also broke down and started to take some antihistamine pills. I am using a cream with calamine lotion in it and I really don't want to inch; it burns and hurts....

But I guess I know now that this what ever poison bush, climbing ivy type horrible stuff is totally got me in pain I will wear some Long washing dishes plastic gloves next year when I need to weed the flower bed!

And to think I have only been dealing with this for 3 days and it seems like a week... It will dry up and I will have my arms back with out the burning feeling.....  off to take a oatmeal bath.......

               

Beauty From the Kitchen

Non-Petroleum Jelly
1¼ oz. grated beeswax
3/4 cup sweet almond oil (or olive oil)

Place in a microwave proof container and heat till the wax is almost melted about 1 minute. Mix until wax is melted and pour into containers

I love this stuff. You can had herbs or flower petals to the oil and let steep for a day or two if you want a nice smell or the healing properties of the herbs and flowers. Plus you can always add vitamin E for open sores and healing... Pour oil with herbs or petal threw a cheesecloth before heating with the bee wax.



My Make-up Remover
1 tablespoon Castor oil
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 teaspoons almond oil
Add together in a glass bottle. Mix together.
Some times I have used vitamin E oil and once I got for a good price some Jojoba oil (very good for dry skin I used it in the winter time) and did 1 tablespoon and 1 tablespoon of almond and the rest of the oils 2 tablespoons.

My Face Scrub
2 part ground oatmeal
1 part wheat germ
1 part corn meal

Ground to a fine powder. I use the blender. I have sensitive skin so I use more oatmeal then the recipe calls for just to be safe.

Things I use for a all body scrub:
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Ground oatmeal (great for sensitive skin)
Coffee grounds (used coffee grounds will work)

Honey Mask

Honey
Apply honey to face
Pat face gently until tacky
Rinse with warm water

Fruit Masks
And some vegetables and others......
Add fruit mashed up directly to face.

Dry to Normal
Apple, Grapes, Oranges, Honeydew, Pears, Watermelon, Nectarine, Avocado

Normal
Tangerine, Banana , Peppermint , Cantaloupe Citrus, Carrot, Peach, Zucchini

Oily
Banana, Cherry, Lemons , Grapefruit, Strawberry, Avocado, Tomato, Peppermint

All skin Type
Yogurt, Cucumber, mayonnaise , eggs

Carrot Yogurt Acme Mask

2 tablespoons carrots
2 tablespoon yogurt

Slightly cook carrots
Mash with yogurt

(Can also grade carrots into yogurt Blend in blender until smooth)
Apply to face Rinse with tepid water
Tepid= kinda like room temperature

      

The Sunshine Vitamin

Well having learned that playing in the dirt can do some good, lately I have heard every time I turn around about the Sunshine Vitamin. That is of course vitamin D. We get some of our vitamin D from fish, eye yolks and milk.  But we can get vitamin D from the sun.  That's right just by going out in the sunshine our bodies get vitamin D. Sunscreen does inhibits vitamin D production but I really think as a very pale freckled person;  I will keep my sunscreen on thank-you.  I don't want  get a sunburn.... which is very easy for me to do. But our bodies has a chemical reaction to sunlight.  Some say don't wash your sunlight off your skin, just wash the "areas that need it".  the stinky parts. But if you have been out most of the day isn't the sunlight starting to do it job before you come in?? I don't know I am not a professional..... I'm just a mom.... But we all know how the sunshine can pick up our spirits! 

 Vitamin D helps our body use calcium and phosphorus.  That's why many calcium supplements have vitamin D added.  It's  like an aid in helping  our bones get the calcium.  Like that commercial were the key is in the shape of a D and they tell you that vitamin D helps unlock calcium to help build strong bones. 

Children that don't get enough vitamin D end up with Rickets. Where the bones don't grow right causing deformities.    This also leads to weak bones and weak muscles in their adult years.

So research has shown that it also may help conditions like diabetes, heart conditions, and multiple sclerosis.   I know I thought "sure that is what they thought at one time about vitamin C".  But the fact that they find many more cases in the northern hemisphere makes one think maybe it does help. Not cure but help.  Then I learned that some conditions like Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease can't absorb vitamin D from foo.

So really there isn't the proof of Vitamin D curing anything.  It just studies that show it helps.  So it can't hurt to take a supplement. Or get outside and enjoy a day in the sunshine........  Yes you can overdose on vitamin D but only  if  you take more than 10,000 IU's per day for long periods of time.  And never from it natural state as in sunshine or foods.  So a little can't hurt but may help.

 

My Hands are bleeding

I not sure if it is the weather or that I might have gotten something harsh on my hands at work.  The gloves we use at work to handle food where wet, not thinking  I put a pair on, it wasn't easy but I did it.  Now I do have sensitivities to many cleaning products, bleach being the worse.  So when my hands looked like I had sunburned them and they started to burn and HURT...... I knew I had to do something.

I made some

Non-Petroleum Jelly 

4 tablespoons of Almond oil
2 tablespoons of Vitamin E Oil
2 teaspoons of bees wax
2 teaspoons of Shea butter

Warm up the oils in a glass container (I used a baby food jar)  in the microwave for about a minute.
Add the bees wax and shea butter.  Stir until melted.  Some recipes will tell you to mix with hand mixer' this will make it creamer.  But I just stir with a wooden Popsicle stick till melted.  It will harden when cooling, I also stir more then.  If it is too hard you can ad more warmed oil.

Some hand creams - most hand creams - have fragrance and  really hurt them more.  I won't use petroleum products.so petroleum jelly is out.  It really is made from petroleum by-products.
But I have had this fun when I was little, my knuckles would bleed from the cold.  My grandmother would put straight vitamin E oil on my hands. yea she would take a pin and poke a hole in the vitamin and squeeze it on to my hands.  It smelled  horrible.....  So now I get it once in a while.
 
So when looking for a picture of a red hand I find a health site and it had a picture that could be a picture of my hands. The second picture.  They are talking about  Raynaud's disease.  That my hands blood vessels are more sensitive to the cold and my hands don't have to get cold to turn red.  Just a change in temperature.
Great one more sensitivity to ad to my list..........
So I am rubbing the  Non-Petroleum Jelly  on my hands whenever I can.  I will sleep with cotton gloves (the type you wear in the Spring) with a thick coating on my hands.  Truth is I am typing right now with gloves on!!! My hands really hurt..........

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast cancer has snacked this family with more than one punch. We lost my daughters great-grandmother when she was two. (Her fathers grandmother.) My mother had a radical modified mastectomy, chemo and the whole nine yards. She went into remediation for 5 years and it returned to the same breast and the other. My daughter was very little and all she remembers of her grandmother is with cancer. She lost her when she was only 8 years old. Her father's mother found a lump and had a lumpectomy and chemo. She is doing ok and it has been many years. So when we see shows with breast cancer news we like to watch.

Here is what we have learn:

lower your body mass index (BMI)
30 minutes a day of exercise (my mom would walk with my dad everyday)
Eat more fruits and veggies
Spicy foods help keep blood strong
Drink green tea at least 3 cups
2 aspirin or 2 acetaminophen a week
Vitamin D
Don't smoke
Limit alcohol
Watch the hormones, even from soy


I know many of you have seen the email that says that anti-perspiration. Spend some time on the Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database many of the cosmetics have known cancer causing ingredients, developmental problems, (and these are found in children products!!) brain and nervous system effects, and irritation
Plus many items can cause problems with your reproductive, endocrine system and or kidney or renal system effects. Not only for the human body but many ingredients are known to be a wildlife or environmental toxin! And we use them on our bodies and our children.... Scary!

So my daughter really loves the pink ribbon stuff, the pens, the coffee, and whatever that has a pink ribbon on it. I start my holiday shopping in October for my daughter....... I really was hoped that there would be a cure before the girls got boobs... but it didn't happen

September is National Honey Month

Wow where has time gone? It is almost the end of September and I find out it is Nation Honey Month.. Oh honey it great for beauty product and can be used to help heal you.

Honey for your skin. Honey can be used to help soften your skin. Just take some honey and pat it on your face. You might add some warm water if too thick, but most times I just pat it on my face. you really can't rub or smoothly put it on that why I say pat on your face... LOL really I have forgotten and it is quite funny. I feel like the kid from Home Alone. Rinse well with tempt water. Your face will feel so soft after-wards. Add some to your bath with powdered milk. It just like the honey and milk bath you can get at the store but without all the extra skin drying ingredients. hummm it is cool here to day sounds so good..

Honey for your hair. You can mix a teaspoon or more with your hair conditioner before adding to your head. Or you can coat your hair with honey out of the jar or bottle again adding a little warm water if you want a smoother product. I have heard that adding cinnamon to the honey help grow your hair longer but not sure if this is true. It will leave it shinny. I have left the honey on my head for over a hour however most times it was only 30 minutes. It is also been said that tit will lighten your hair. Basically honey has natural hydrogen peroxide.

1/2 cup of natural uncooked honey
1 1/2 cups of distilled water
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon or cardamom

Leave out for a hour for the honey to release the peroxide. Add to hair as you would any type of dye. Cinnamon might sting your head a little but will go away after a minute or so. After you have coated your hair wrap your head with plastic wrap or swimming cap. Leave in as long as you can stand. For a hour or overnight if possible. The longer in your hair the lighter if will make it. It's not like a drug store dye, but it did make it lighter. Lemon juice in the sun is faster if you are blond.. but I use it more for a deep conditioner than to lighten my hair, with out the cinnamon or olive oil. I do this before I wash my hair to get everything out. It is great for damage from the sun and harsh weather.

Honey for wounds. Yes I have put honey on wounds. Those stinging bleeding wounds. It helps keep out infection, remember from he hair lightening it is a natural hydrogen peroxide and has natural antibacterial properties. It's great for canker sores that you get in the mouth and sometimes your teeth rubbing on them can make your mouth scream with pain. It doesn't taste too bad not like the over the counter canker sore stuff. The kids looked at me like- what honey??? I can have honey???

Honey for sore throats and coughs. Many times I had a sore throat my grandmother had me take a tablespoon of honey. The key she said was to slowly take the honey as to let the honey coat the throat. It does feel like it was coating the throat! I just thought yea! honey! and got to take a spoon of honey and little by little lick the spoon clean and my throat felt better.... PS that little guy to the right of this.... after you use the honey out of him; he can become a special drink bottle. The straw will fit in the top if you cut it down to the part that has the lines............

Honey for energy. Ahhh honeymoon. We call it the time after a couple gets married; the honeymoon. This is after a Native practice that would feed the couple honey for potency to procreate. Energy and stamina...... Well I really can't tell you if this works or not I didn't try for my children right after getting married we waited.... It is a simple sugar and sugar does give you a boost of energy. Well I guess if anyone wants to try this they can let me know...

Honey Mead. Ok I do know honey mead can help with stamina or maybe that was just help with the seduction.... But honey mead is a alcoholic drink. Much like wine for it is not high in alcohol content but smooth like wine. It is Irish in nature. Apple cider mead was very delicious.... ok so it not really good for the skin or healing,,,, wait it is good for stress! Yea that it, mead is good to de-stress. Of course used in moderation.

Well Honey's I hope you enjoy this salute to honey!! Warm apple cider honey mead is calling my name..

Could the cure to H1N1 be in our kitchen or yard?

With the winter months coming it has been all over the news and radio that the CDC thinks we will have a new wave of H1N1 outbreaks. It has also been reported that they also think there as many deaths from the vaccine then the flu. And the side effects: neurological diseases particularly Guillain-Barre syndrome. Not something I want to do. I'm not pregnant, over 65 or have a immune disorder. Really don't need the vaccine. I also heard many stories on how cinnamon and other herbs can cure the flu. Many sites that are trying to sell herb supplements. I think it's more than the cinnamon bark.......... Or the thieves oil. Save your money it might just be in your own kitchen or yard.
Nostradamus, 1503-1566 the famous doctor and prophet that survived the black plague also cured many others with what was called rose petal pills. He ran a perfumery that meant using natural petals like rose petals and herbs to make the scents in his day. But he noticed that his workers didn't get the plague. Then there is the famous 4 thieves vinegar. The story goes that there was 4 thieves in France that were robbing the dead during the plague and many of the doctors where shocked to see that not one of them had became infected. They asked how they protect themselves. They told them of a wine that they drank each meal.
This is where it gets fuzzy. Because there are many different recipes. First I heard it was vinegar or wine. Now there is a doctor that is marketing a oil that he named Thieves Oil after this legend. And there is no garlic added. Yes many say the reason it works is the garlic makes people stay away from you!!
4 Thieves Vinegar (or Wine)

1 clove of garlic crushed and minced

equal parts:
thyme
peppermint
rosemary
sage
lavender

Place in red wine or in a clean bottle. Cover with apple cider vinegar. Many recipes online will say just say vinegar. But I think it depends on your area. For in areas that have many wineries that wine would be easy to get. While other areas cider was easier to find.
Leave out for 6 weeks and shake everyday. After the six weeks is up strain the herbs. You can drink with meals if brave. I have used this vinegar as a cleaner.

There also is many different recipes for Thieves Oil. One thing they do have in common is that the garlic isn't included.

Thieves Oil

equal amounts of cinnamon bark, lemon oil and eucalyptus
equal amounts of: cinnamon bark, lemon, eucalyptus, clove, and rosemary

So not to different on ingredients but both are placed in a clean jar or bottle and covered with a base oil. This could be extra virgin olive oil, almond oil or walnut oil. Do not use basic vegetable oil or canola oil they will turn rancid. I know from experience that my olive oil that was a mix of vegetable oil and olive didn't last long. But this is left out for 6 weeks and shaken everyday. After the six weeks is up strain the herbs.

There is medical studies proving that cinnamon bark can kill common and hospital-acquired infections. A study of surgeons have proven this. In 2008 the French researchers found this fact to be true also.

Studies also show that lemon juice is antibacterial and antiseptic, and a effective insect repellent. Straight vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). Even lavender and thyme are more antiseptic than phenol, the stuff in common household cleaners! Research shows that antibacterial plant oils may not cause drug resistance germs. Even rose petal have antiseptic properties. It is regarded as a mild sedative and anti-depressant which can reduce the stresses in our lives. In this day and age we all can use that. Wow that why our men bring us roses to say they are sorry... Giggles...

I love the smell of lemon, cinnamon, lavender, rose and peppermint that I could have many different vinegar cleaning products. Or Apple Cider and cinnamon for cleaning. Lemon vinegar for the bathroom and kitchen. Lavender and rose for the bedrooms. My daughter would love a wintergreen and peppermint cleaner.
How about the Thieves Oil for cooking. That lemon oil for lemon pepper chicken. With sage, thyme and other herbs that are good for Italian dishes and could also help fight infections.

Keep in mind this will not as all things keep you from getting sick. Like echinacea it doesn't keep you from getting a cold or flu it helps your body fight the germs. I really think the truth is that we need to eat more healthy and wash our hands like our doctors. Washing for 20 seconds. That good old warm water and soap do the job but a little help from nature to kill the nasty viruses doesn't hurt. Sing in your head or out loud to help your little ones The ABC song.

Adventures in flea control

First I found some info about Diatomaceous earth (DE)

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is the environmentally friendly way to get rid of fleas, ticks, termites and Japanese beetles, however sometimes will kill the helper bugs like bees in your garden as well. It consists of the broken up shells of diatoms, fossilized silica shell remains of unicellular or colonial algae. What DE does is that it eats through the coat of the fleas causing dehydration and eventually causes death of the fleas. Larvae and eggs are not affected however just as any other flea treatment you should reapply when needed.
Diatomaceous earth can be found local feed stores, some health food stores, garden and hardware stores. Diatomaceous earth is approved by the USDA as an animal feed additive and will work as a de-wormer. Be careful however the Diatomaceous Earth used in swimming pool filters has close to a 60% crystalline silica content and food grade (that is the type you want to get) is close to 1% or less. Use ONLY FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth.


DE is a very powdery kind of dust, so you need to take steps to keep it out of your lungs and eyes. That's how it kills the fleas, it may not kill a human or pet but can cause pain and irritation. A paint or hardware store filter mask and a pair of goggles will help you keep it out of your eyes and lungs. When using D.E. on your pets, just avoid the face and eyes. One post on-line the woman used a old sock to help dust her felines. Any feline keeper will tell you that felines can be the worst to try use a combs on; let a lone a sprinkling of powder!!

For carpets sprinkle lightly. Make sure to get here your animals sleep or hang out the most. Leave in for 2-3+ days, make sure it get worked in when the fleas and bugs can hide. Then vacuum. *Do not use to much or you may have problems with your vacuum. * Many people used sprinkling can they made by punching holes in coffee cans or using a old spice jar. It is very fine so a little to much can cause a dust storm.



Daily recommended food grade diatomaceous earth feeding rates:
Kittens - 1/2 teaspoon
Cats - 1 teaspoon
Puppies - 1/2 to 1 tsp.
Dogs under 35 lbs. - 1 teaspoon
Dogs over 35 lbs. - 1 tablespoon


So my lazy behind didn't get to any garden stores so I went looking again on line for the answer to this problem. It's getting to the point the humans are getting bit. The flea shampoo my daughter got is running out and my sinus are going crazy from the smell of all this over the counter stuff.. My daughter and I fight about natural remedy's she doesn't like to have to keep applying them and rather get it over with using chemicals..

We are using garlic and brewer yeast on their food. They like to lick it off the food. Funny thing is they also like to lick the vitamin E oil I use on my hair and hands. I have let them lick some off their bowls, vitamin E is ok in small amounts for the animals...

I just ran across this recipe.

Oranges peels
and/or Grapefruit peels
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary OR 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 pint water


Put the peels in a large saucepan with about one quart of water and boil until the peels are soft. Let the peels cool in the water add rosemary, then blend the peels with some of the cooled water in the blender. Return the blended peels to the rest of the cooled water, then strain the mixture and funnel the strained liquid into a spray bottle. This mixture can also be sprayed on pets, furniture, bedding, carpets, etc. but unlike vinegar, this will kill actually kill the fleas as orange peels contain an ingredient that dissolves their exoskeletons.

But sadly this is not good for cats due to the citrus oils......

Natural Flea Treatment for Cats Recipe

3 teaspoons fresh rosemary OR 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 cup bottled or tap water

Note: You can often find fresh rosemary in the grocery store, even in the off season.

Add rosemary to one cup boiling water, cover and let stand 20 minutes to half hour. When cool, strain the rosemary from the water.

You can apply this with a cloth, but if your cat is not too squirmy, it works best when sprayed onto the cat from a squirt bottle. Can be refrigerated for a few days after making.

Hint: Rosemary also works for repelling mosquitoes!

But I have found that lemon was good for mange in cats and dogs. I had lemons and made a batch. They are dying but not soon enough... and the nice handled flea comb is MIA. So armed with a tiny flea comb and more than one cat than HATES to be combed we are combing them daily. Of course Whiskers our senior female loves to be combed. She is the beauty queen of the cats. She grooms herself so to have the softest fur. Don't take it personally she grooms herself after any human dares to pet her!! She doesn't mind the petting just that she has to make sure her hair is just perfect!! The little kitten freaks and runs like his tail is on fire when we start to comb, but lately well let us comb where the fleas are biting. We see him bite we get the comb and tell him this will make the inch feel better. So he is getting better. Angel just gives you a dirty look and leaves if you hesitate for a second. She has adventures of her own to go to. Mystical to fight with or tease.... The joys of felines.

Fleas are a pain.